One of our long time friends at FireFighterCloseCalls.com and one of the original Secret List members, Chief Bruce Varner, most recently Chief of Department in Santa Rosa FD, California, is retiring after 43 years on the job.
The Chiefs retirement impacts every firefighter in the USA and Canada because well before "firefighter safety and health" became a common (or nearly common) denominator, Bruce was at the forefront. He literally was often the "lone voice" in the room pushing the issues most of you understand today. From intelligent aggressive firefighting operations to command, control and accountability, to firefighter survival, to tactical fire scene leadership and building construction as well as SCBA and related technological development and standard establishment, Bruce has been there from DAY ONE. Many of you with gray hair or no hair probably know Bruce from his countless hours of teaching around the country and his tireless work with NFPA committees.
Bruce’s dedication to pushing our service forward (sometimes we kicked and screamed) started while he was with the Phoenix Fire Department (retiring as a Assistant Chief) and continued as he served as the Fire Chief for the Carrollton Fire Department (Texas) and finally with Santa Rosa (Calif). Bruce has also been one of the folks involved with IAFF safety and health and well being an inaugural member of the IAFC safety and health committee, which set the groundwork for today’s aggressive, 1000+ member IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section.
While we know that Bruce will continue to work on various fire service committees and related ventures, we do want to reach out and send him a heartfelt congrats on his retirement and THANKS for all the good he has done…so far. Those wishing to send Chief Varner an e-mail may reach him at: [email protected]
